Separating strips for wall joints



Dec. 29, 1964 R. E. DUDLEY 3,162,906

SEPARATING STRIPS FOR WALL JOINTS Filed April 5, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR. 170E677 E. 90111 BY W G M Dec. 29, 1964 R. E. DUDLEYSEPARATING STRIPS FOR WALL JOINTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent3,162,906 SEPARATWG STRIPS FOR WALL JOINTS Robert E. Dudley, Bellevue,Wash, assignor to lracey, Cook, Brunstrom & Dudley, Seattle, Wash, apartnership Filed Apr. 5, 1961, Ser. No. 100,974

3 Claims. (1. 2074) The present invention relates to separating stripsto be placed between adjacent edges of panels forming a wall whethersuch edges extend vertically or horizontally.

The principal object of the present invention is to prow'de separatingstrips which will seal the joints between wall panels of plywood toprevent moisture from running or even from infiltering into the jointsbetween adjacent panels whether such joints extend vertically orhorizontally. 1

In thus sealing wall joints it is an object to provide such separatingstrips which will fit the panel edges even though the thickness ofadjacent panel edges may be somewhat diflerent or such edges varysomewhat in thickness, or are otherwise irregular. Moreover, such stripswill not prevent expansion or contraction of the panel edges at thejoint caused by atmospheric changes in temperature or humidity, or both.

It is also an object to provide such separating strips which can beretained in a panel joint by the panels and without requiring separatemounting.

Another object is to provide such separating strips which can be fittedto a wall joint and installed quickly and easily during the installationof the wall, and which do not require any special preparation of thepanel edge or wall to accommodate such separating strips.

Although economical to produce, such separating strips are very durableand not easily damaged either before, during or after installation in awall joint.

A further object is to provide such separating strips which will beattractive in appearance but when colored to match the wall will beunobtrusive. such strips can be of a color contrasting with the color ofthe wall to produce a decorative effect.

Separating strips for accomplishing the foregoing objects should beadapted for installation in substantially the same manner both invertical joints and in horizontal joints of a wall. Such strips are madeof extruded pliable sluggishly elastic plastic material of modified H-beam cross section, Each strip has a web engageable between the edges ofadjacent panels and a wide flange on one edge of such web havingportions extendingequal distances oppositely from the web. Such wideflange is fitted behind the adjacent panel edges. At the exposed side ofthe wall the vertical strips have crested flanges, the edge portions ofwhich engage and are flattened against the adjacent edge portions of theanels forming the joint. At the exposed side of the wall the horizontalstrip has a downwardly extending flange engageable with the lower panelface and a drip projecting outwardly and downwardly from the web of thestrip and the root of the downwardly projecting flange.

FIGURE 1 is an elevation of the exposed face of a wall section includingstrips of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged bottom perspective of a portion of such a wallshowing a stretch of horizontal joint and a stretch of vertical joint.

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section through a vertical joint taken on line33 of FIGURE 2 and FIGURE 4 is a vertical section through a horizontaljoint taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a transverse section through a separating strip for anupright joint in relaxed condition.

FIGURE 6 is an elevation of an exposed wall section face showing anarrangement of joints and strips dilferent Alternatively,

areas Patented Dec. 29, 1964 from that of FIGURE 1, and FIGURE 7 is anenlarged bottom perspective of such a wall showing horizontal andvertical joint portions.

The separating strips of the present invention can be made of differentsize depending upon the thickness of the'wall panels. Such separatingstrips are particularly useful for sealing the joints between plywoodpanels used as a wall facing. Such plywood panels may, for example, beone-half inch, five-eighths inch or three-quarters of an inch inthickness to be used without exterior covering as a surface providingadequate structural strength to Withstand wind and weather loads andwall rigidity when properly secured to the wall framing. Preferably theplywood sheets are of exterior grade becausethey are water-proof.

When plywood is used for the exterior wall surface the panels 1 areformed of rather large sheets of plywood, a conventional size being 4feet by 8 feet. Such sheets can be applied so that the length of eachsheet extends vertically, as shown in both FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 6 of thedrawings, or horizontally, depending upon the shape and size of theparticular wall. In either case the framing structure on which thesurface sheets are mounted is in the form of a grid so that the edges ofeach plywood sheet will be backed by frame members 2 spanning both thevertical joints 3 and the horizontal joints 4. The edge portions of theplywood. sheets I are then nailed to the framing members 2 atsufficiently close intervals so that each panel will be securedadequately about its edge. The panel will be inherently sufiicientlystiif so that the central portion of the panel will not be easilybendableappreciably when the panel edges are thus backed.

Where plywood sheets are secured to such a framing structure they can beapplied most readily by simply butt joining their edges so that theouter faces of adjacent panels are flush. Since there is no overlap ofthe panel edges at the joints, the problem is presented ofmaking suchjoints water-tight. One customary procedure has been to calk such jointswith some type of calking material. If this material is in the form of apaste it isdiflicult to apply it so that it will penetrate into thejoints and such paste material is inclined to dry out and become brittleor to be forcedout by working of the panel edges as they swell orshrink, caused by temperature or humidity changes. Alternatively, thejoints between the panels can be calked with fibrous calking material,such as calking cotton. Use of either type of calking material requiresconsiderable labor. Alternatively, the joints can be covered with woodor metal battens, but it is then necessary to seal the joints betweenthe battens and the panels, in many cases. Moreover, the application ofsuch battens also involves considerable work and the completed structureis considered to be unsightly by many people.

The strips of the present invention provide weathertight joints betweenthe panels 1, both vertically and horizontally. Such strips are ofmodified H-beam cross section including a web portion 5 which serves asa separat ing strip between the adjacent edges of adjacent panels. Wideflanges 6 integral with one edge of the web 5 extend in oppositedirections from such web to form a planar flange to be located at theinner side of the wall facing. These flanges can be interposed betweenthe edge portions of the sheets 1 and the framing members 2.

When the plywood sheets are nailed to the framing memi i ni t e. edg-'por i s o th pane si ei ed be rtw e rthe .oppbsite vflanges, the i e pr ons flang I? willrbefla en d ag he ou rs rfa f.- p els asshqwn FIGURESr'l. T e d -p r e of the crested flange will ther ef,ore assume asomewhat concave shape, as shown inFIGURES 2 and 3. In orderto insureflatcontact of thesefiangeppr tions with the faces of the panels 'qvieracen d rablew dth, the fla .p 't on 7 r taper d i kn s towar h ir ges Wth t such taperingrth h adi g r t uq if ian e iw ul tend to occu p n paly a jace Qthe. e 5, when: p s is app lo the fiange edge, ins teadpf theentire flange. portion forming a gradual curve, assh own in FIGURES 2and}.

v, The yalue of the salient dihedralfa'ngle 8 ,measnredbew n the, outersur a of. :t e fla g p rt o h n .theyare inthe relaxed condition jofFIGURE should be approximately a right angle, the angle shown beingabout 80?, If such an'gle, is too small, the curvature of the flangeportions '7 will, be; sharper, than; desirable, whileifthe'salientan'gle is too large either the web '5 may be shorter than desired,ortheiwidth' of the flange por ens "(limay b g ter han desire'd r h p'ge of such flange portions maypress against t e, surface ofthe sheets lwith less pressure than desired, Consequently, such salient angleshouldbe within the, range of 60 to 100 I i] 1 order to provide the mostdesirable type of jointyerine ba e w V p The horizontal separating striphas a downwardly prof jectingffiange 9 spaced, from. theflowerinnerjflange 6 valong webi a distance approximately eqnaljto thethickjnjessQof a -panel{1. ,The fi an'ge1 9 will therefore closely Aoverlie the outer surface of the edge portionofi the; panel immediatclybeneathjt. ,This strip has no outer flange projecting upward from ,it,however, because a crevice -,wou1d be formed between such flange and theouter 'suriace'jof the edge; portion of the panel; immediately above,thejstrip, intqwhich moisture could flow, which would :then tendto'flowalong'the vupper'surface of the strip web r5 into-thejoint lnstead, thisstrip has'a drip 16 extending outwardly anddown'wardly from the outeredge of; the web 5 preferably of curved shape. ,"Water running ,down'thepanel above'the strip would therefore fiowalong the upper surfaceiofsuch drip away from the wallfso that it ,wonld tend to" drop clear'ofthe surface of the panel, below the joint.

Preferably the flange 9 and the dr-ip i0 a -cs1 ddWn- Ward from the web5 equalf distances so that at an intersection oi a vertical "joint witha horizontal joint as shown .H n IGURE Li e upp rsn v a sq a e. cut v t"strip can butt against the lower edges of both the flange fie h th s 91W le ri aetne ss r 1 qh a 'i i it s P ef r b e t out ysts flss a r 't qthe inner lo werigfia-ngeifi of the horizontalstrip or the end flap. iltisi'nfotf objectionable if the inner"fiangef portions ofisuch verticalrizontal -strips 'are s paced s dmewhat. Also, it desirable for thedistancelbetween'the inner flanges'dand thei'outerjedge' offthedrip "ofthe hori z!ontal 's t rip;toQbe at:least'flas great as the distance"between-{the innenflan'ge 6 and the apex of the salient angle Sljoftheye'rtical strip sothat the crest of the yertical strip winner projectbeyond the"drip 10 above it at a joint. Such disposition of the stripsat a joint will prevent water from running ofi a drip into the cavitiesof the vertical strip behind the flange portions 7 which are locatedbelow a horizontal strip. Where a horizontal joint intersects a verticaljoint as in FIGURES 7 and 8 the e nd's of tlie horizontal strip flanges9 simply butt against the edges of the "upright strip flange 7.

The wall 'ioiht sealing strips described above can be installed quicklyand easily. A'horizontal strip can be applied to the upper edge and avertical strip to one side edge of a p'fneltobfe installed. The loweredgeof the panel can then be seton theupper edge of a lower panel lpreviously installed and which edge .isjcovered by a horizontal strip. flheuncovered upright edge of'the'panel will then gbe fitted with apreviously installed vertical strip by bending outward the edge of theouter flange portion 7 sufficiently to receivethe panel edge. Suchupright Ledge and the lower edge of the p nel. y h ncbe na edi Pl -3, 5e a t upright edge of the panel may be nailed in place from the bottomup, making sure that the vertical strip which been applied to it ispushed 'ontojthe panel edge so thatits Web S abuts such panel edg e,Finally, the upper edge of the p anel willv be secured in place aitermaking sure that the horizontal strip is pressed fully ow war o to t eupp r ed e. f r

While snchmethod of panel installation will be satisfactory, the stripmaterial can be made available in long indeterminate lengths and hispreferable for the separatrin s ris t ve sifew j i as po s e. AS h n; inFIGURE 1, it is preferred that the vertical joints inadjacen gwst fpa lf staggered s that-t ele h of each vertical separating strip willbeapproximatelyequal to the vertical'extent'of apanel The horizontalseparating jstrips can, however, extend -continiiously across aplurality of verticaljoints. Qonsequently, instead of app n a a p e of ht s p t het pp ed of each panel, a row of' panels can beapplied to theframing structure and s ecuredtemporarilyiin 'place by nailing them onlypart way up fromthe bottom. A continuous stripcan then be appliedtothe'upperfedges of the panels in'the row andfthe upper edges of thepanels then nailed to'the framing to secure such strip in place beforethe neXt higher row of panels is ap'plied.

It will be eyidept' that the spacing between the inner flanges 6 andtheouter'il'anges f7 -and9 sliouldbesuch 'as to enable a horizontal ;orvertical separating strip to be 'appliedtothe edge of the panelandretained-on it by the'slightclamping action'of the flanges. Thestrips are not secured to the panel edges, however, but are held inplace simply by the flanges being clamped; between "the panel edgesand-the framing structure to which they aresecured.Ifdesired,'andparticnlatlywhere the'length I 1 ofthe'panelsextends"-vertically, the panels cani besecnr'ed 'in placebynailsdriven alongfl'onlytheir opposite-upright edges and such nails"samba-driven sufiicientlyclose to 'the panel'ed'ges so that theheads-ofr the nailswillbe :covere'd by the 'outer "flange portions 7 *of theupright separating"'strips. Such'flange: portions can 'be pulled outand-bent backward 'lbcally-sufiiciently to enable nails to be drivenfatsuchdo'cations. The headsof'thenails are thus protected fromrusting;as'well-asibeing con- "c'ealed toimprovethefappearance of theeXpesed-"wan surface, by the *bottorn flange portions '7.

"Since, 'thestrips 'are not nailed to the panels' relative movement ofthese' cor'nponeiits "can"occur freely as the dimensions of the paneledges?realtefedbyternjaeratu'reor humidity changes. The'yinylrriaterialbftiihich the'stripsaremade'iseirtremely' resistant todeterioration by wide'fiuctnations'in tenrperaturwa'nd by-change"inmoisture conditions. Also, while thisrrlaterial is 've"ry capable ofconforming to surface irregularities of the panels could, however, beused satisfactorily.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a panelled wall surface, intersecting horizontal and vertical walljoints, each comprising a unitary separating strip of pliable plasticmaterial including a web and a pair of inner flanges extendingoppositely in coplanar relationship from the inner edge portion of saidweb, panels having adjacent edge portions substantially abutting theopposite sides of said separatin strip webs, respectively, andrespectively engaging the oppositely extending portions of said innerflanges of said strips and thereby holding said strips irfplace, theseparating strip in a vertical joint further including a crested flangehaving oppositely extending flange portions with their edge portionsengaging the outer surfaces of adjacent panel edge portions,respectively, and their root portions spaced outwardly from such outersurfaces of the panel edge portions and the separating strip in anintersecting horizontal joint including a drip flange projecting outwardand downward from the outer edge portion of the web of such strip, saiddrip flange being disposed adjacent to and overlying the crested flangeof a separating strip in a vertical joint immediately beneath suchhorizontal separating strip with the edge portion of said drip flangespaced outwardly from the portion of the outer panel surface underlyingsaid drip flange.

2. In a panelled wall surface, intersecting horizontal and vertical walljoints, each comprising a unitary separating strip of pliable plasticmaterial including a web and a pair of inner flanges extendingoppositely in coplanar relationship from the inner edge portion of saidweb, panels having adjacent edge portions substantially abutting theopposite sides of said separating strip webs,-

respectively, and respectively engaging the oppositely extendingportions of said inner flanges of said strips and thereby holding saidstrips in place, the separating strip in a vertical joint furtherincluding a crested flange having oppositely extending flange portionswith their edge portions engaging the outer surfaces of adjacent paneledge portions, respectively, and their root portions spaced outwardlyfrom such outer surfaces of the panel edge portions the separating stripin an intersecting horizontal joint including a flange projectingdownwardly from the web alongside the outer surface of a panel edgeimmediately beneath the web of such strip and a drip flange projectingoutward and downward from the outer edge portion of such web, said dripflange being disposed adjacent to and overlying the crested flange of aseparating strip in a vertical joint immediately beneath such horizontalseparating strip, the projection of said drip flange outwardly from theouter surface of the wall being at least substantially as great as theprojection of said crested flange outwardly from the outer surface ofsuch wall and the edge portion of said drip flange being spacedoutwardly from the portion of the outer panel surface underlying saiddrip flange.

3. The combination defined in claim 2, in which the outer flangeprojecting downward from a horizontal separating strip and the dripflange of such separating strip project downward to approximately thesame level, the upper end of the separating strip in the vertical jointimmediately beneath such horizontal strip has an upper end portion cutsubstantially square and the upper end of such vertical strip issubstantially in abutment with the lower edges of the outer flange andthe drip flange of the horizontal strip.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS466,242 71914 France.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner. HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Examiner.

1. IN A PANELLED WALL SURFACE, INTERSECTING HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL WALLJOINTS, EACH COMPRISING A UNITARY SEPARATING STRIP OF PLIABLE PLASTICMATERIAL INCLUDING A WEB AND A PAIR OF INNER FLANGES EXTENDINGOPPOSITELY IN COPLANAR RELATIONSHIP FROM THE INNER EDGE PORTION OF SAIDWEB, PANELS HAVING ADJACENT EDGE PORTIONS SUBSTANTIALLY ABUTTING THEOPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID SEPARATING STRIP WEBS, RESPECTIVELY, ANDRESPECTIVELY ENGAGING THE OPPOSITELY EXTENDING PORTIONS OF SAID INNERFLANGES OF SAID STRIPS AND THEREBY HOLDING SAID STRIPS IN PLACE, THESEPARATING STRIP IN A VERTICAL JOINT FURTHER INCLUDING A CRESTED FLANGEHAVING OPPOSITELY EXTENDING FLANGE PORTIONS WITH THEIR EDGE PORTIONSENGAGING THE OUTER SURFACES OF ADJACENT PANEL EDGE PORTIONS,RESPECTIVELY, AND THEIR ROOT PORTIONS SPACED OUTWARDLY FROM SUCH OUTERSURFACES OF THE PANEL EDGE PORTIONS AND THE SEPARATING STRIP IN ANINTERSECTING HORIZONTAL JOINT INCLUDING A DRIP FLANGE PROJECTING OUTWARDAND DOWNWARD FROM THE OUTER EDGE PORTION OF THE WEB OF SUCH STRIP, SAIDDRIP FLANGE BEING DISPOSED ADJACENT AND OVERLYING THE CRESTED FLANGE OFA SEPARATING STRIP IN A VERTICAL JOINT IMMEDIATELY BENEATH SUCHHORIZONTAL SEPARATING STRIP WITH THE EDGE PORTION OF SAID DRIP FLANGESPACED OUTWARDLY FROM THE PORTION OF THE OUTER PANEL SURFACE UNDERLYINGSAID DRIP FLANGE.